Absentee Voting Corruption

June 11, 2004

Former state Rep. Barnaby Horton has better luck than he deserves. Mr. Horton recently was given accelerated rehabilitation -- a special form of probation -- after admitting that he illegally induced elderly residents of the Betty Knox housing complex in Hartford to cast absentee ballots for him in a Democratic primary for the city's 1st District seat two years ago.

Last year, Mr. Horton was charged with several counts of absentee ballot fraud and one count of making a false statement. But all that will be wiped from his record if he keeps his nose clean and meets the conditions of his probation that will be meted out by Superior Court Judge Wendy Susco.

Too bad Judge Susco wasn't tougher. Election fraud is an assault on the democratic process, a more serious crime than the granting of probation would imply.

Mr. Horton, who lost the election, knew what he did was wrong. In breaking the election law and for a time denying it, he proved to be a liar and a cheat. Several years ago, then-state Rep. Edwin Garcia of Hartford was convicted of a similar absentee ballot fraud offense. He lost his job as a policeman and his seat in the House, but also was spared prison.

Judges are too shy about imposing tough sentences on election cheats. That must change. Also, absentee voting procedures should be cleaned up.

Too many politicians pervert the purpose of absentee voting by circulating sometimes hundreds of ballot applications and then returning to ``help'' often-confused people to fill out ballots the ``right'' way. It is nothing more than a scam to harvest votes. Legislators refuse to tighten up absentee procedures out of self-interest.

Absentee balloting should be a last resort, to be used only when a voter is going to be out of the state on Election Day or is too infirm to get to the polls. The ballot processing should involve only election officials and the voter and, when needed, the voter's designated agent. Politicians must be prevented from getting their hands on absentee ballot applications and ballots.

Last year, the state Elections Enforcement Commission ran a successful pilot program in three towns using what it calls ``absentee ballot coordinators,'' one from each party, who respond to calls for ballot applications. They performed the work now done by self-interested politicians and their campaign workers. The concept was turned into legislation, but died in that election reform graveyard, the Appropriations Committee.

Lawmakers refuse to change this rotten system because it benefits them. If that continues, judges should throw offenders in prison. Somebody needs to stand up for democracy.